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Libya court adjourns trial of Gaddafi's sons, officials

Saif al-Islam, viewed by many as Gaddafi's heir, is still being held by a Libyan rebel group.

Reuters: Chris Helgren, file photo

The trial of deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi's sons and dozens of his ex-officials opened on Monday, but it was quickly adjourned as some of the investigations had not been completed.

The adjournment was the second postponement since March 24.

Neither son, Saadi Gaddafi and Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, was in court at Al-Hadba prison in the capital, Tripoli.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi appeared via an internet link from Zintan, in southwest Libya, where he has been held since his capture in November 2011.

The late ruler's spy chief Abdullah al-Senussi was among the former senior aides sitting in blue jumpsuits behind a fenced-off section.

The defendants face charges ranging from corruption to war crimes related to deaths during the 2011 uprising against Gaddafi, who went on the run for months before being captured and quickly killed by rebels.

If convicted, some of them could face the death penalty.

The International Criminal Court and other human rights organisations worry about the fairness of Libya's justice system although the government won the right last year to try Gaddafi's former spy chief at home instead of at the ICC in The Hague.

Saadi Gaddafi, another of the slain dictator's sons, was extradited from Niger in March, and is also due to go on trial. However, he has not yet been formally charged.

Proceedings were adjourned until April 27 to give investigators more time to prepare their cases and organise videolinks with the Gaddafi brothers and other defendants.